Summer School on Software Defined Networks
Travel Information

How to reach Heraklion, Crete

By air: N. Kazantzakis Heraklion International Airport (airport code: HER) is located about 5km East of the city of Heraklion, on the Greek island of Crete, in the Mediterranean Sea. It is the second busiest airport of Greece, after Athens International Airport, serving more than 5 million passengers annually, especially during the summer tourist months. There are over 50 airlines flying to Heraklion over the summer, with Aegean Airlines being the most regular for domestic flights to and from Athens, Thessaloniki and Rhodes, and several low-budget seasonal flights from most major european cities. A complete list of airlines flying to / from Heraklion airport can be found here.
On exiting the airport terminal building, the local bus stop towards the city centre and other destinations is only a few minutes' walk. The timetable can be found here. Taxis, hotel shuttles and rental cars are also available. (The airport is named for the famed Cretan writer, Nikos Kazantzakis, who wrote Zorbas the Greek. The city has several spellings including Heraklion, Heraclion, Irakion and Iraclion, so make sure all baggage tags have airport code HER for verification.)

By air and land: Another option is to fly to the Chania International Airport (airport code: CHQ), located 148 km west of the city of Heraklion. The Chania airport is served with several regular and low-budget seasonal flights from various destinations. A list of airlines flying to / from Chania airport can be found here.
Outside the airport terminal building, there is a local bus stop that will take you to the terminal bus station in the city of Chania (about 20 min drive - the timetable be found here). From there, one should book a trip to Heraklion on a separate bus (about 2.5hrs - timetable available here or here).

By sea: Two major ship companies (Minoan Lines and ANEK Lines) provide daily service connecting Heraklion with Athens.


Crete Tourist Info

Crete is one of the most beautiful and touristic places in Greece. Further information for tourists can be found here.

Aerial Photographs and Maps

- Heraklion airport: Google Earth, Google Maps
- Heraklion harbour: Google Earth, Google Maps
- Heraklion bus Station: Google Earth, Google Maps
- Heraklion city centre: Google Earth, Google Maps